


Green Mountains

by SadakoTetsuwan



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Crack, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Shounen-ai, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-17
Updated: 2015-01-17
Packaged: 2018-03-07 21:39:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3184097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SadakoTetsuwan/pseuds/SadakoTetsuwan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Terra's first time flying solo on a mission, and he's absolutely determined to do things right. Too bad things always seem to get complicated...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Green Mountains

It was hard not to be excited—it was Terra's first time away from home by himself, and knowing that Master Eraqus trusted him enough to go on a mission alone was a bit of a rush. It didn't matter that the mission wasn't exactly a matter of life and death, just a simple reconnaissance mission on behalf of Master Yen Sid, but it was his mission. No Master, no supervision, no pop quizzes...and on top of it, permission to terminate any monsters from the dark with extreme prejudice.

His armor faded into waiting as he stepped onto a narrow cliff face, peering out into the countryside. The landscape below him looked much like home, with narrow jutting mountains, lush greenery and clear rivers.

“This world...it's so peaceful,” Terra murmured to himself, scanning the horizon. “Has the darkness really come here?” He frowned slightly, carefully picking his way down the sheer face of the mountain.

“Alright, first thing's first: find shelter,” he dictated to himself, glancing down into the valley below, his gaze quickly drawn to the rigid geometry of a town nestled in the shadow of the mountain. “...Away from the natives,” he added with a sigh. Terra turned toward the cool breezes coming in from the north and frowned. He had a feeling tonight would be a cold one. He could have at least brought a blanket.

Terra descended slowly but surely, finding easier footholds as he reached the treeline. The crisp smell of the lonely mountain pines gave way to fresh bamboo, and the gentle afternoon sunlight quickly became a cheerful green under the canopy. He could get used to a place like this, he thought as he took in the view down the mountain for a moment before continuing his rather casual exploration. The sound of a quietly babbling brook caught his ear, and he bent the young bamboo out of his way as he searched it out. 'One should always camp where there is fresh water', he could hear Master Eraqus lecture—and where there was running water, there might be caves to camp in. For someone without a tent, it was the only way to go. He just hoped he wouldn't have to fight anything for squatting rights; this would be a nasty spot to take a tumble.

Rather than fording the little stream and soiling his hakama, Terra took a chance and leapt across, grasping for a young bamboo stalk for balance on the slippery, mossy rocks. Without even so much as a groan of strain under his weight the bamboo gave way, sending him on his dreaded high-speed descent. Every stalk he struck on his way down did its best to slow him and each one failed unapologetically, snapping and leaving a trail of destruction in his wake. 'Stupid, stupid, stupid,' he thought miserably at each blow his body took, scrabbling at stalks and dirt and stones whenever he seemed right side up enough to even try controlling his descent. With a final dull crunch of metal on stone, Terra came to a heavy, loud stop on a small outcropping, the stream still babbling cheerfully nearby as it, too, tumbled down over the rocks.

Stupid stream. Stupid bamboo. Stupid mountain. How could he have thought this would be a nice place to settle down? He huffed slightly, scattering dirt and leaves and dust before slowly pushing himself into a sitting position, gingerly rolling his wrists and shoulders and checking to see if any of the cracks he had heard on the way down had come from him.

“No blood, no foul,” he muttered, standing and brushing himself off. “You win this round, mountain.” He gave pause as he noticed just where he had landed. Behind him, sinking into the gray rock face was a small grotto guarded by a stern-looking statue bearing a sword, hewn from the rock itself. He could tell that there had once been an inscription at the base of the statue, but it was far too worn for Terra to have any hope of reading it, and the thick layers of dust which still sat on it even after Terra had stirred the air suggested that no one would be along any time soon to tell him who it was supposed to represent. The chiseled face and silent strength reminded him of Master Eraqus, however, and he gave the statue a bow almost out of reflex, feeling somewhat self-conscious even under a stone figure's disapproving gaze. Something about it's harsh glare and stately manner also reminded him distinctly of Master Yen Sid, and he wondered if perhaps the old wizard wasn't keeping tabs on him for Eraqus.

“If it's alright, I'd like to share this cave with you,” he said softly, peering up at the statue for a few more moments, then suddenly felt quite foolish. What was he expecting, for it to blink and wag its pointed finger at him in reply? Besides, if Yen Sid was spying on him, through statues or otherwise, he surely wouldn't let Terra know. Silently, Terra stumped into the grotto, hoping to nurse his wounded pride away from any statues or prying old men.

The space was large enough to lay down comfortably—as comfortably as one could possibly be on cold, moist stone, of course—and the sound of the many small waterfalls outside was at least somewhat muffled. Terra held out his hand and concentrated for a moment, summoning a bright ball of flame to light the grotto. As his eyes adjusted to the sudden change, there was a skittering, and a chill ran down the youth's spine. A dark shape darted for the mouth of the cave, sinking into its own shadow and melting down the mountainside.

“Monsters,” Terra breathed, tossing the fistful of fire to the moist floor and summoning his Keyblade. Forgetting the lingering soreness in his body he dashed after the dark creature, dodging through the bamboo with the sort of nimbleness he was sorely lacking before. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed more of the oddly moving shadows, crawling across the ground in the most unnatural of ways before popping up again like poison mushrooms in the shade. One of them darted his way, it's sharp little claws reaching for him. His Earthshaker carved through the bamboo like wet paper, unhindered as he swung at his target, disintegrating the little monster in a fine black mist. So it was true...the darkness had come here after all.

Through the thicket, he could make out a small clearing, and he could sense the darkness gathering there. He narrowed his gaze and tightened his grip on his Keyblade as he crashed through the growth, felling monsters and bamboo alike in his descent. There was another figure in the clearing, a person, surrounded by the dark menace.

“Look out!” Terra cried, leaping into the clearing with a mighty swing, crushing several of the Shadows into oblivion. As he looked up, Terra found himself being watched by a dozen pairs of golden, hollow eyes, and he couldn't tell if the hissing sound he was hearing was simply the wind in the bamboo, or if it was coming from these dark creatures. “Get out of here! I'll take care of this,” Terra instructed, chancing a glance at the other person he now shared the monster-infested clearing with. It was a boy, maybe his age, brandishing a sword that seemed a bit big for him.

“No way!” the other youth snapped, “I'm not backing down from a fight!”

“Suit yourself,” Terra muttered under his breath, raising his Keyblade and swiping at the shadows as they came. He did his best to carve a path toward the boy, cleaving into the shadows without hesitation. This was what Eraqus had trained him for. He almost hoped that Yen Sid was watching now, even though there was no hope of a thrilling blow-by-blow account being delivered to his beaming master. Terra turned, ready to spring again as he watched the other youth swing his sword and dodge aside, felling the last of the dark beasts with a young warrior's cry.

Terra listened intently for a few moments as the last black mist dispersed, deep blue eyes flitting back and forth as he scanned the edges of the clearing. All he could hear was the wind rustling the tops of the bamboo, and the heavy breath of the other boy. Slowly, Terra relaxed and stood more properly, turning to the youth.

“That should be the last of them,” he remarked, watching as relief swept through the other boy's frame.

“Good. What were those?” he asked, blinking as he sheathed his sword.

“Creatures of darkness,” Terra replied, pursing his lips slightly. “You fought pretty good,” he added, nodding in acknowledgment to the boy. He drew himself up a bit at Terra's compliment, a grin gracing his handsome face.

“I should hope so,” he said. “You didn't do so bad yourself. What's your name?” the boy asked, resting his hands on his hips.

“Terra,” he replied, smiling a bit at the youth's clumsy backhanded compliment. “And you?”

“Shang,” the boy said, his own smile becoming a little more relaxed and genuine as he folded one hand around his fist and bowed lightly. Terra quickly bowed in return, though habit bent his back rather farther than Shang's. “I've never seen a weapon like that before. What is it that you do?” Shang asked, his gaze falling to Terra's Keyblade.

“Er...” Terra tightened his grip on his weapon, casting his gaze around for a moment as he thought back to what Eraqus would do in such a situation. '...Make something up,' was the best advice his mental image of his master could conjure. Terra's eyes fell to his Keyblade as well and his mind furiously cranked. “...I'm a woodcutter,” he blurted, then nodded. Sure, Earthshaker looked enough like an axe. Why not? Go with it.

Shang frowned slightly and planted his hands on his hips again, his black eyes narrowing slightly as he scrutinized Terra's dirty appearance and weapon. He'd never heard of a woodcutter with armor before...let alone a woodcutter in such strange clothes.

“I haven't seen you in town before. Where are you from, Terra the Woodcutter?” he asked, suspicion heavy in his voice.

Damn.

“I'm...not from around here,” Terra replied, turning and looking up the mountain again. “My home is...far away.” Shang followed his gaze, scanning the many peaks along the horizon beyond.

“To the north? ...ah! Was your village attacked by the Huns?” Shang asked, a cascade of understanding and shame crossing his face as he put the pieces together and bowed deeper than before.

'Go with it, go with it...'

“...Yeah, that's right,” Terra said, nodding. “We tried to fight them off, but...they were too much for us.” Sure, that sounded specific enough to be satisfying, and vague enough to not blow his cover. 'Not bad, Terra.' Shang was only partially satisfied with the answer, but had been taught not to pry unbidden into a person's past.

“Forgive me for being so suspicious of you. Even for great warriors, the Huns are dangerous foes...” he mused, “You're lucky to have escaped.”

“I know,” Terra replied, hoping to come up with a way to shut this conversation thread down. He wasn't the best at improvising, and Shang was too curious in Terra's opinion. “...Hang on, are you saying I'm not a great warrior?” he asked after a moment's realization. Shang's lips pulled into a smirk.

“Well, how should I know? I've seen you swing your axe a few times, and that's all.”

“You watched me fell monsters from the deepest Darkness,” Terra corrected, smirking playfully in response as he slung his Keyblade over his shoulder. “It's what my master has trained me for all my life.”

“Aha! So you're _not_ a woodcutter!” Shang cried, grinning and pointing at the hole in Terra's deception.

“Well...I wasn't always a woodcutter,” Terra replied, rubbing at his nose. Not until a few minutes before, as a matter of fact, but he couldn't very well say that. A cold wind stirred the high tops of the bamboo, drawing the attention of the two young men.

“The sun will be behind the mountains soon,” Shang observed, sighing. “We should head back to town. What inn are you staying at?”

“Oh... I'm not staying at an inn,” Terra replied. “I...prefer the outdoors, really.” He paused for a moment and sighed slightly. “...And I'm flat broke. Don't make much money as a woodcutter without cutting some wood first.”

“Well, maybe I'll see you in town tomorrow, then,” Shang smiled, turning to head down the rough-hewn path down the mountain. “Save some firewood for me, alright?”

 

* * *

 

Terra sat up with a long groan, fumbling for a moment before ripping his helmet off with a sigh. This was not going to work. At all. There were worse things than being cold at night, and he'd just verified that one of them was 'deciding to sleep in your armor, since it'll be warmer'. Terra clanked back down on the grotto floor, his groan of frustration absorbed into the sound of the nearby waterfalls. Maybe...actually selling some firewood in town wouldn't be so horrible, if it meant he could afford a blanket. Or even a real bed at an inn. He had a feeling Eraqus would forgive him, as long as he didn't stick out too much or rouse too much suspicion. Terra turned his head to the mouth of the cave, squinting at the dying starlight and dark creeping blue of the morning twilight.

He shed his armor and rolled onto his stomach, almost absentmindedly doing a few push-ups. Master would frown on him letting his daily conditioning slide; sighing, he began to put in a bit more effort. Obviously, his morning run would be a bit difficult on the mountain without paths or stairs or any warnings of dangerous drop-offs, but he could figure something out. He pondered what to do about a pull-up bar after he switched to sit-ups, frowning as he weighed the options. There was plenty of bamboo, but it was far too pliable while it was green. If all else failed, he could brute force his Keyblade into a crack in the rocks...but if Master Eraqus caught wind of that, he would be disowned for sure. Hmm...

The morning mist was beginning to burn off when Terra finally strolled out of the grotto, inhaling the crisp air before heading down the mountain again, following the stream in search of somewhere to wash up.

“I suppose I could climb back to the peak and gather up bamboo on the way back down,” he mused to himself, checking the depth of a pool near the clearing where he had met Shang the afternoon before. Apparently satisfied, he carefully unbuckled and unstrapped his gauntlet and pauldron, laying it out reverently on a nearby rock before giving his boots the same treatment, gently buffing them for a moment before moving on to unceremoniously strip away the rest of his clothes, tossing them on a neighboring rock. Terra stretched for a moment, glancing over his shoulder at the empty clearing before splashing his way into the waist-high pool. He gasped at the cold shock before quickly dunking his head underwater as well. 'Just get it over with' was a lesson to live by.

The water was cool and sweet and crystal clear; Terra's love-hate relationship with the mountain had swung back into 'love' territory. He scrubbed at his hair and face, happily moaning even as he shivered at the chill; the irony of having suffered so to escape the cold of the night only to cheerfully dive into a cold bath the next morning was completely lost on him. He vaguely turned over his plan to hike to the summit and play at being a woodcutter for a day or two, lazily floating on his back and watching the puffy clouds mirror his relaxation overhead. The soothing white noise of the waterfall feeding the pond helped pass the time admirably, and drowned out the sound of approaching footfalls.

“Terra?”

The voice yanked him from his reverie and Terra thrashed clumsily, brushing wet hair from his face and looking around for a moment before finally picking Shang's figure out in the grove.

“Shang! Morning,” he called back, waving meekly as the other young man approached. “Looking to take a morning dip?” Terra grinned, leaning against a rock and giving Shang an impish glance.

“...Isn't it cold?” Shang asked, raising a thick brow.

“Freezing,” Terra replied with a smile, casually scooping water up and letting it run down his shapely arms and chest.

“I think I'll pass,” Shang said, turning away as he felt a bit of color creep into his face the longer he stared.

“Have it your way,” Terra shrugged, wringing out his hair and climbing out of the pond, wiping as much excess water from himself as best he could. He'd have to track down a towel, too, once he had some money. “So, do you usually spend your mornings out here?” he asked, glancing over his shoulder as he shook a few drops of water from his arms before climbing up on a mossy rock to drip dry a bit.

“Whenever I get the chance,” Shang smiled, “It's a great place to train, don't you think?”

“Not bad at all,” Terra sighed, “I think I could learn to like it,” he added, chuckling. A cool breeze toyed with the canopy and Terra shivered, hurriedly reaching for his shirt. “Except that the mountain seems to blow a bit hot and cold with me.”

“You're new, that's all,” Shang replied, restraining a chuckle as Terra hurriedly redressed. “Give it time, settle in to its rhythms, and you might find it to be more accepting of you.”

“I sure hope it warms up to me before it kills me,” Terra remarked, carefully strapping back into his boots before donning his pauldron and gauntlet again, his fingers working deftly at the straps and buckles.

“Have a rough night?” Shang asked, smirking.

“To put it mildly,” Terra sighed, running his hand through his still-wet hair. “But it's a new day, right? ...And I believe I owe you some wood,” he added, smiling.

 

“Do we really have to climb to the top of the mountain just to get some firewood?” Shang asked, clinging to the rock face and peering down into the valley with trepidation.

“All my bamboo is still drying, and I passed some dead pines up here yesterday,” Terra explained, rather more comfortable with the climb—or at least he looked that way. He, too, was acutely aware of the sheer drop-off not more than a hand's breadth from his foot. As long as he didn't come across any slimy rocks, though, he had little to fear. “If you want to wait in the clearing, though...”

“No, no, I'm alright,” Shang replied, edging his way around a large stone. “If I can't stand up to the mountain, how could I hope to stand up against an enemy army?”

“The mountain is still and peaceful,” Terra replied, “It's not something you have to battle against, it's something to learn from.” Shang frowned slightly, considering Terra's words as he hugged the mountainside. He looked up to find Terra climbing with ease, completely fearless. What had the mountain taught him?

“Up here,” Terra called, peering back down at Shang and waving him up. “Found one,” he grinned, leaning down and holding a hand out to the younger man. It was a relatively small matter to haul Shang up to the ledge he had found, and the younger man's expression was priceless. “You wait here, there's only room for one of us to get up to the pine.”

“No problem,” Shang replied, sitting on the ledge and simply staring at Terra as he deftly searched out handholds and felled the gnarled pine with one swing of his Keyblade. “...What sort of trees do you normally fell?”

“Oh, y'know, a little of everything,” Terra replied, dropping from the rock face and casually began chopping the old, gnarled wood.

“To have such strength, you must do little else,” Shang said, watching each swing of Terra's Keyblade.

“Well, like I said,” Terra smiled, stacking up the split logs. “I wasn't always a woodcutter. Seemed like a good use of my strength, is all.” He sat on the ledge, his legs hanging down over the thousand meter drop.

“...You were a warrior once, weren't you?” Shang asked, moving to sit next to Terra, but not quite daring to hang his legs over the ledge. “You said you had a master who had trained you to fight.”

“Yeah, something like that,” Terra replied, gazing out into the valley.

“Me, too,” Shang smiled, leaning back slightly. “My father's a commander in the Imperial army. He's won many battles...and I'll be expected to do the same, when I enter the army. That's why I train out here every day.”

“I know what that's like, trying to impress a...father like that,” Terra replied, smiling fondly. Eraqus was a demanding master, who expected nothing short of excellence from all of his apprentices and got it in spades, but Terra always felt like he had to go the extra mile to keep his master's attention. He missed the closeness that they had shared when Terra was his only student, when Eraqus felt more like his father than just his teacher. He knew he shouldn't be jealous when Aqua and Ven did well and received Eraqus's praise, but it was hard sometimes—especially since it seemed to get harder and harder to impress his master with every passing day. Terra sighed, his shoulders slumping a bit. Why did his mind tend to stray to such dark thoughts? He shook his head slightly and did his best to refocus, taking a deep breath and sitting up a little straighter. “I work to make myself stronger every day, too. It's all I really have.”

“Looks like we've got a lot in common, then,” Shang observed, watching as Terra wilted slightly. “It's a heavy burden.”

“It is,” Terra agreed, turning to Shang after a moment. “Maybe we could help each other out. Lighten each other's loads.”

“You mean...you'd train with me?” Shang asked, blinking a few times in surprise before grinning.

“Sure,” Terra smiled, “But on one condition,” he added, a serious tone coming over him. Shang nodded, sitting up straight and bowing low to him.

“Anything, Shifu Terra,” Shang replied.

“I want a blanket,” he grinned.

 

* * *

 

Terra strode out of his grotto with a wide smile, wearing his new woolen blanket like a cape. Even sleeping on hard stone was made a bit more pleasant by the presence of a thick warm blanket to wrap himself up in. That, and having a new sparring partner. It kept his mornings from being overly dull, and gave him a particularly useful contact for gathering more intelligence without having to go down into the town at the foot of his mountain. Master Eraqus would be pleased with this strategy. He'd have to be, anyway—Terra wasn't planning on leaving the mountains if he could help it. Not only did he have information coming to him freely every day, but Shang had told him more and more about the constant threats from the north, beyond the idyllic mountains he had been calling home. Terra had a feeling that's where the darkness was entering this world, and if he was waiting for it on the mountain, then it had no hope of breaking through.

Tossing his blanket back into the cave, Terra grasped one of the bamboo poles he had been drying and began strolling down the mountain, eager to meet with Shang again.

 

* * *

The fields in the valley were alive with activity and the sun was rising higher on a brand new morning, but Shang hadn't shown up on the mountain yet. Terra couldn't exactly say he was worried about the other youth, but 'curious about his whereabouts' didn't seem to cover it perfectly, either. He climbed up the mountain, searching for any traces of Shang having somehow snuck by him, but Terra couldn't track someone who hadn't been there. Frowning, he strode out on a large outcropping, the closest he dared get to the town below, and scanned the valley as far as he could see. Shang had pointed out his family's estate, whose property ran right up to the foot of the mountain, but the house and grounds seemed quiet from where he stood. Terra's gaze fell to the ground, where he found his first sign all day.

An arrow with pure white fletching was stuck in the loose soil of the outcropping, with a note tied to the shaft. A crooked smile crossed Terra's face as he snatched up the arrow and it's message, reading the carefully scribed perfect block of black text.

_Will be late today._

_Field training with troops._

_Shall I climb the mountain?_

_Or will you meet me_

_At my family's gate?_

 

 

 

Shang was rather eager to get home that afternoon, and return to his regular training 'schedule', even though his back was a bit sore from the drills he had run with his father's soldiers. He wolfed down an early dinner before hurrying off to his rooms to change into fresh clothes and retrieve his sword and bow. He called something vague to one of the men of the house about being back before sunset as he bounded out into the yard, heading for the gate. On his way out, something caught his eye.

Stuck firm in the back of one of the archery targets, and clearly fired down from the mountain, was his arrow from that morning with another note tied to the shaft. Shang quickly untied it, his gaze running across the rustic hand. The three long lines almost seemed like they had been written with ink made from ash, and were painted across the back of his initial note. A chuckle left Shang as he reached the end, and he turned to dash back into the house.

_Alas, the green mountain does not move_

_Though with all these peach-strewn streams flowing,_

_A towel would be appreciated._

 

 

 

Terra's feet dangled over the ledge as usual, his new towel draped over his shoulders like a triumphant boxer's prize, a satisfied smile on his lips. Shang sat beside him, though he still didn't dare hang his feet out over the precipice. The two watched the sun sink into the grasp of the spindly fingers of the mountains, golden light capping the peaks between tall dark shadows and coloring the whole mountain range like a great tiger.

“You know...when I met you, I had no idea you were a poet, too,” Shang began, turning toward the other. Something fluttered a bit in his chest as he acknowledged that yes, that had been a poem he had received in return—the first one he'd ever received. And what a surprising poem it was...one with great sincerity and skillful references and humor. Terra smiled, letting his head fall back with a content sigh.

“I'm just full of surprises, I guess,” he said, his gaze lazily sweeping the sky as it changed colors. Truth be told, he'd put a lot of effort into that poem, had written dozens of drafts in water all over the rocks of the grotto and watched the worst ones evaporate in the noontime sun, had stared up into the gaze of the grumpy statue in hopes that Yen Sid would give up, cause it to roll it's eyes and give him a few pointers. But how cool could he possibly look if he didn't make it seem effortless? Shang turned away, heat rising in his cheeks again.

“A mysterious warrior poet from the north, disguised as a humble woodcutter...” Shang murmured, “...Almost sounds like a fairy tale.”

“Then what does that make you?” Terra asked, smirking as he leaned closer. Shang blushed and jumped slightly, rubbing at the back of his neck and squirming slightly.

“I-I don't mean to presume anything...!” he replied, his cheeks growing uncomfortably hot. “I'm lucky to receive any attention from you, just watching you swing your blade is a great honor, I—”

“Hey,” Terra interrupted, reaching up and cupping Shang's cheek. He was so flustered...it was adorable. Terra smiled and scooted a little closer, running his thumb along the other boy's cheek. “Relax,” he breathed, letting his hand fall slowly to Shang's arm to repeat the gentle motions there, rubbing the other boy's bicep. He leaned closer, breath mingling for a moment before he brushed his cheek against Shang's, warm breath washing across Shang's skin.

“Terra...” Shang whispered, a shiver running through him as he was gently caressed, his eyelids fluttering shut.

“Is this alright?” Terra asked, his other hand resting at Shang's waist, simply holding the younger man.

“...Yeah...f-for now,” Shang whispered, shyly reaching for Terra's hip as well.

“That's fine,” Terra purred, “We can stay like this as long as you like.” The warmth of the other boy was both comforting and exciting; he hadn't realized how long it had been since he'd been intimate with anyone—anyone other than himself, of course.

It felt like an eternity, sitting on that ledge with the golden evening light gilding the two of them, holding one another and inhaling each other's very essence in the crisp air, memorizing it with each breath. Terra's, a rich earthy scent, like the mountain itself after the first rains in spring, a touch of the sweet bamboo and strong pine he cut lingering on his clothes, and a hint of something more, a fragrance at once masculine and tender, something dark and mysterious and warm, something like copper and iron, but also like a pure lotus blossom. Shang's, a sweet scent of youth and joy, trying it's hardest to be mature and serious, an excess of sandalwood masking jade and lacquer, leather trying to disguise silk and linen, the scent of long hoped for dreams mingling with a hint of insecurity, and underneath all of it, the very concrete fragrance of peach.

“So...” Terra began, “If this were a fairy tale...what would come next?” he asked, his gentle embrace growing stronger, urging Shang closer. The younger boy moved into the touch, cheeks growing hot as he reached into his satchel, withdrawing a small bundle wrapped in wild silk.

“I suppose...I would offer to share this with you,” Shang whispered, his face impossibly red. Terra teased the bundle open and the silk fell away, revealing a perfect ripe peach, it's flesh blushing almost as red as Shang.

“I knew it,” Terra smiled, inhaling deeply and welcoming the warm, sweet scent. “The scent was driving me crazy.” Shang let out a soft sound, blinking up at Terra. Had...he been hoping for this, too? He squirmed in anticipation, leaning forward to quickly take a bite of the soft flesh, the juice exploring across his tongue and sending a shiver through him.

Terra shot the other boy a look of feigned indignance before he leaned forward as well, taking a large bite out of the other side. It was delightful, so soft and sweet, and the way Shang's fingers trembled only enhanced the fruit's appeal. He had had a sneaking suspicion that there was something significant he was missing with this whole peach thing, but as his eyes locked with Shang's, he was certain that they were thinking the same thing.

Silently, Terra leaned forward to brush his lips against Shang's, the younger man letting out a soft gasp.

“Too fast?” Terra asked, pulling back just far enough to look him in the eye again.

“N-no,” Shang replied, his heart pounding. “...No one has ever kissed me before.”

“Oh...how was it?” Terra smiled, reaching up to stroke his cheek again, his own heart speeding up as well.

“Good,” he breathed, savoring the touch, “...but too short,” he added, smiling in return. Chuckling softly, Terra gently cradled Shang's head as he pressed another kiss to his lips.

The peach lay forgotten.

 

 

He couldn't believe how far they had come.

It hadn't even been a week since Terra had come crashing through the clearing, eyes hard and his strange weapon flashing this way and that, with the speed of lighting and with a roar like thunder. Shang could never admit the hint of fear that he felt when he first saw that mysterious warrior, whose appearance was so alien and whose strength was almost supernatural... and he could never admit that he was still suspicious of Terra sometimes; he knew that there was no way Terra's village had been attacked by the Huns, and he had a strong feeling that Terra's village wasn't to the north in the first place. None of those lingering suspicions mattered in light of the older boy's sincerity and open charm...those mysteries could remain a little while longer. What good is a fairy tale without a little mystery? He knew what mattered most. He knew what he wanted the moment he saw that peach.

It hadn't even been a week and here they were, on that remote mountain ledge, tangled in one another's arms and legs, breath heavy and hearts bared. Shang whimpered in pleasure, his cheek pressed against Terra's broad chest as he struggled for dominance, not caring if he won or lost. Terra's rough hands smoothed down the other boy's body, pressing firmly at the small of his back as he ground his hips against Shang's, his own low moans rumbling in his chest. Lips fell against necks and chests and cheeks, Shang felt his topknot come undone, Terra found the younger boy surging up to kiss him, arms thrown around Terra's neck and shoulders. It was heavenly.

Somehow, Terra managed to snake a hand between them, gently grasping Shang's member and guiding it against his own. Both youths cried out, Shang in surprise, Terra in familiar bliss. Terra rocked his hips firmly against Shang, holding them both in one large hand as he sought to tease completion out of the other boy. He wanted to watch, to see Shang's face in pure bliss as he came. He loved watching pleasure overtake his partner, no matter who they were. Aqua squeezed her eyes shut when she came, Ven's eyes always shot open wide; he wondered if even Shang knew what he would look like. Shang arched closer, gasping for breath as Terra touched him in such delightful, tender, swollen places, drawing pleasure from the core of his being with just as much skill as he fought. He came with a cry, bucking hard against Terra as wave after wave of bliss overtook his young body, rippling through him with great power. Shang opened his eyes, trembling as he looked up at Terra, the older boy smiling wide.

“Beautiful,” Terra breathed, withdrawing his sticky hand and shifting slightly, pressing a kiss to Shang's lips as he began firmly stroking himself, pushing Shang's thighs open with his knee.

Shang could only watch in wonder as Terra arched into his own touch, his hard muscles undulating and flexing as he pushed himself to greater heights, pausing to drift back down on occasion before pushing onward again. His deft fingers flew across his member, while his other hand teased at his favorite places to be touched, kissed, caressed, or nibbled on. Shang did his best to make note of those places where Terra's fingers lingered, but watching him pleasure himself was hypnotic. Terra positively glowed in the evening sunlight, his body aflame as golden light gave way to ruby red. Terra's body wound up like a spring and his head fell back as he came in turn, crying out loudly and arching like a bow.

“Beautiful,” Shang agreed, leaning up to capture Terra's lips again, pulling him back down to the ground for more. He never wanted to leave this mountain...

 

* * *

 

“I don't see why after a whole day of working, he still thinks he needs to go up that mountain to train,” Commander Li remarked, watching Shang dash past the archery targets toward the rear gate, his bow and sword in hand like always. “He works himself so hard...”

“He only wants to be worthy of the family legacy,” his wife said, resting a hand on her husband's arm.

“Doesn't he know that he already is?” Li sighed.

“He's got too much of his father in him,” his wife chided, smiling.

“I'm just worried about him up there...the mountains are dangerous, especially when you're alone,” Li remarked, his gaze traveling up the peaks and catching on every jagged ledge and rock. His brow creased with fatherly concern.

 “What makes you think that he's alone?” she asked, a coy little smile on her lips as she retreated from the room. Unlike her husband, she did not fail to notice the peach that Shang had taken up the mountain the day before.

 

 

 

 

“I've gotta say, you're no slouch with that thing,” Terra smiled, tapping Shang's sword with what remained of his bamboo staff. Even when subtly reinforced with magic, Shang had managed to carve a rather impressive set of notches and pits into it.

“I don't suppose you're ever going to spar with that axe of yours?” Shang asked, smiling in return.

“Hey, I'm not looking to put you in the hospital,” Terra grinned, resting his staff across his shoulders.

“What, are you saying I'm not a great warrior?” Shang mocked in reply, striking a silly pose and laughing. Terra gave him a wry smirk and spun his staff down, poking at Shang's thigh playfully.

“Wait here,” he said, turning and strolling out of the grove through the path he had unintentionally cleared that first day. The climb was uneventful, as usual; those monsters seemed to thin out when the Keyblade was resting in its place in-between, and if any decided to turn up, he could dispatch them easily.

He waved casually at the statue outside the grotto as he approached, staff over his shoulder again. “Don't mind me, Master,” he said, still convinced that Yen Sid was watching him like a hawk through those granite eyes, “Just dropping off a few things.” When Terra emerged from the cave, absentmindedly summoning Earthshaker to his hand, he blinked. There was Shang, lying prostrate before the statue.

“Shang?” The youth's head popped up, and he quickly rearranged himself, giving Terra the same low bow.

“Forgive me,” he whispered reverently, though with a slight tremble in his voice. “I've acted so foolishly.”

“What are you talking about?” Terra asked, frowning.

“I disobeyed, and followed you here,” Shang replied, daring to peek up at Terra. “And before that, I addressed you with such crude irreverence. I pray you can find it in your infinite wisdom to spare me for my insolence...and that your lord and master will also be moved to compassion by your amnesty.”

Terra blinked, thoroughly confused. He opened his mouth to express that sentiment, but Shang began his whispered monologue again.

“It all makes sense now, O Lord. If you are truly a soldier serving under Xuan Wu, your prowess in all things martial and scholarly is to be expected, your wondrous armor and blade artifacts from a Heavenly armory...your ability to slay demons, what your lord and master trained you for, you said... That the Jade Emperor would send a divine warrior to defend such an insignificant corner of the Middle Kingdom, a warrior with such humility and gentleness to mere mortals—”

“Alright, I'm gonna stop you there,” Terra said, color creeping into his cheeks in spite of the uncomfortable writhing in his gut as Shang poured out praises onto the ground he spoke into. This was downright unsettling, being called divine; 'skilled' he would take, but this was too much. Even worse was the way Shang flinched when he spoke, like a beaten dog. It made Terra's heart ache. “I want you to listen very carefully, alright?”

“Yes, O Lord,” Shang said softly into the rock.

“Don't call me that,” Terra said, his tone a little harsher than he had intended, “Don't ever call me that...”

“Wh-what shall I call you, then?” Shang whimpered, trembling softly.

“...Just Terra,” he said, kneeling down and running his hand across Shang's back to soothe him. “It's the same me, Shang.”

“I-I couldn't possibly...” Shang breathed, trembling, “To speak in such familiar terms with a heavenly emissary...”

“I'm not a—” Terra cut in, sighing. “Shang, listen...I'm not a 'divine warrior'. I'm just me...human, like you.”

“No, I'm nothing like you...” Shang said, squeezing his eyes closed.

“Shang,” Terra began, opening his mouth to speak before he felt it. A great, oppressive darkness approaching. Terra quickly rose to his feet, his grip tightening on his Keyblade. Damn, he'd had it this entire time, beckoning the monsters closer. He looked down the mountain and saw a teeming black morass, thundering up through the bamboo grove toward them, dozens of yellow eyes staring ahead unblinking as they surged—larger, and better armed than before. “Shang, get up! Monsters!”

The younger boy chanced to raise his head, watching as Terra readied his blade. Shang's heart was in his throat, and his stomach seemed to have dropped out of him entirely. He stood and drew his sword, but felt very small while he did so. Terra was so much more powerful than him. Terra could destroy these demons with ease...he had come to this place to do exactly that. What use would Shang be? He might be a strong fighter, and a tough match for a fellow human, but against monsters and demons...what good would he be?

Terra launched himself at the coming horde, heedless of the danger. He had to protect Shang, in case he couldn't protect himself. He knew that was silly; Shang was a skilled and adept warrior, especially considering his age, and Terra could see him, sword drawn and fighting. But Terra felt so...protective of the boy. The boy who followed him up mountains, the boy who gave him blankets, the boy who shared that peach with him...the boy who now was afraid to look at him. His Keyblade flashed and danced in his hands, sweeping through the shadows like they were nothing, but they kept coming without fear, relentlessly swiping at him, sinking into the earth and reappearing, their sharp claws raking his skin. He heard a cry, far too human to come from one of these beasts, and far too high to have come from his mouth. Shang...!

With a roar, Terra swung his blade high above his head, bringing it down through one of the beasts and tearing the ground with the impact, sharp needles of granite rocketing up around him to pierce the beasts. The power that flowed through him came so easily once he finally called it— _not_ using it had been most unnatural; _not_ using the mountain out of, what, modesty? Concern for the world order? None of that mattered. His Keyblade flew in vicious arcs, shattering the mock armor that the creatures had donned and pulling jagged boulders from the ground wherever it passed, which Terra flung at the beasts with sheer force of will. He planted a foot next to where Shang laid, his footfall breaking stone.

“No farther!” Terra snarled, standing over his limp form and holding fast, flinging Earthshaker this way and that, crushing everything in its path. Shang wearily lifted his head, taking in the sight of Terra, feeling the power that thrummed through the very air and earth around him. That was the last thing he saw as he slipped into unconsciousness.

But it was okay...Terra was protecting him.

 

 

 

Terra gently dabbed at Shang's brow with a moist towel, concern on his face. He didn't know what else he could do for him now; he'd bandaged his wounds and had his legs up, and whatever else you were supposed to do for someone who was recovering. If Aqua was here, she could work out some spell to cast, or if Master Eraqus was here...well, then Shang never would have gotten hurt in the first place. They would have never even met.

“Come on, Shang,” Terra whispered, “Rise and shine...”

 

 

 

It was dark before Shang did any rising or shining. He sat up slowly, his body filled with dull pain and the distinct pang of hunger. He must have been inside the holy grotto—he certainly wasn't at home. He slowly looked around, taking in the inside. It wasn't what he had imagined the inside of a holy place might look, no incense burned here, no tablets, no painted silk screens, just an empty cave lit with a small campfire, a stack of dried bamboo tucked away behind him. The quiet sound of falling water outside was soothing, and the much closer trickle of a tiny spring in the cavern wall mirrored the sound. It was incredibly peaceful...

“Shang,” Terra called softly, kneeling next to the boy with a skewer of roasted meat and bamboo shoots. “Welcome back.”

“Back?” he breathed, rubbing his head.

“Careful there—don't go ruining my exquisite bandage work,” Terra smiled, holding the food out. “Eat slow. You've been out for a while, I was getting worried.”

“Was I...dead?” Shang asked softly, taking the skewer and pulling off a bit of bamboo.

“Dead? No,” Terra replied. “Do you think if I could bring someone back from the dead, I wouldn't go ahead and heal those wounds, too?” he asked, gesturing to the bandages around Shang's arm and leg as well. Shang glanced down at them, frowning slightly. Terra made an excellent point. He slowly chewed at the offered food, watching Terra as he sat down.

“And while I'm on the subject,” Terra continued, “I'm not a divine warrior. I'm not from heaven. I'm not a servant of...whoever that statue is.”

“Xuan Wu,” Shang supplied. “But...you called him your master.”

“My master is watching me through that statue. I think,” Terra added. “At least, I feel like he's watching me whenever I'm around it. Might just be my imagination, but...”

“But...your power! I saw you bend the mountain to your will,” Shang replied, eyes wide. “You called your axe to your hand in a flash of light!”

“It's not like that, Shang...and you weren't supposed to see that anyway,” Terra added with a mutter. “My weapon is...enchanted, yes, but that's all.”

“...Are you really from a village to the north?” Shang asked, fiddling with the skewer.

“...No. I'm from much farther away,” Terra said, “But still this realm of existence,” he added quickly. “I'm human, nothing more.”

“...And your master?”

“Human, too. A greater warrior than me, but human all the same,” Terra said.

“...So you're from a realm filled with monsters and legendary heroes performing incredible feats with magical weapons,” Shang said, raising a brow slightly.

“Something like that,” Terra nodded, sighing. “I'm not supposed to be telling you any of this. I'm not supposed to let people in other places know...it violates the precepts of my order. That's why I checked my strength before...but my restraint got you injured. I had to do something...”

“...Will you be in trouble for revealing yourself?” Shang asked, reaching for his injured arm.

“I might be,” Terra sighed, poking the fire idly. “I don't know yet. I'd have been in trouble if I hadn't helped you in your time of need...but to do so, I had no choice.”

“...It's quite a bind, isn't it?” Shang mused, slowly chewing as Terra pulled another skewer from the fire—slightly more 'done' than his. Terra frowned, blowing out the fire on one of his chunks of meat.

“My master trusted me to come here on my own...he trusted that nothing bad would happen,” Terra murmured, “...I'm more worried that I've disappointed him, broken his trust. I'll take whatever punishment I've earned...but I couldn't bear his disappointment.”

The pair sat in silence for a while, Terra rising on occasion to poke the fire or to check outside for any lingering danger, Shang finishing his meal and turning over Terra's revelations in his mind. There were faraway realms of heroes and demons, locked in combat, not for any of the world to know? Where men could watch you through statues from ten thousand _li_ away, and they were still considered human? And for these heroes to leave and visit other lands was to swear themselves to utmost secrecy...it didn't make sense. Terra certainly seemed honest in his explanation, but...

“It's late,” Terra murmured, “We should get some sleep. I'll help you down the mountain tomorrow. Your father will probably be looking for you.” Shang looked up, realization hitting him. His father...he would be tearing up the entire mountain looking for him. His mother must be sick with worry...

“...Y-you're right,” Shang nodded, biting his lip and laying down again, his stomach writhing. Terra slipped under the blanket as well, lying next to him and wrapping a strong arm around him without any hesitation.

“Until then...I swear on my life to keep you safe,” Terra whispered, kissing his forehead gently. Shang squirmed closer, eyes sliding closed as he rested his cheek against Terra's chest again, sighing.

“I trust you...” he whispered back, eyes sliding closed.

 

* * *

 

“Shang!” Commander Li cried, his voice hoarse, echoing across the mountain as dozens of others cried his son's name, desperately searching the mountainside. They'd been looking for hours, since first light had begun to crown the mountaintop, but if Shang had been injured in that earthquake...

No. He couldn't think that way. Shang was alive. He had to be...

Desperately, Li searched every crevice he found, leaning over the edge of precipices and peering, stomach churning in fear, into their depths, hoping against hope to not find anything there. He scrabbled up the mountain ahead of his men, breathing hard as he came upon a tranquil little clearing with a soothing waterfall feeding a pond. The peace of this place had little effect on him.

“Shang! _Shang!_ ” he called, leaning on one of the rocks beside the pond.

“Looking for someone?”

Commander Li's head shot up, his gaze hard. There was a newcomer in the clearing, with the wild hair of a mountain man and eyes like the sea—and those were the least unusual things about him. His clothes, his armor... Li drew his sword, pointing it at the strange youth.

“Who are you? What are you doing on this mountain?” he demanded.

“I'm a woodcutter,” Terra replied, the lie still coming easily. “...You must be Shang's father.”

“Shang—have you found him?” Li asked, eyes wide.

“Yes. He's alright, I tended to his wounds, he's resting comfortably...and he's been expecting you,” Terra said, smiling gently in spite of the sword still pointed at him. “This way,” he said, leading the commander up the path he had cleared.

“Was he badly injured? Did he take a fall?” Li asked, desperation and worry in his voice again.

“Just some bumps and cuts,” Terra replied. “He's strong, sir, you don't have to worry about him.” The pair arrived at Terra's outcropping, which looked rougher than it had the morning before, but which he had smoothed out again as best he could. Li hung back as his gaze fell on the image of Xuan Wu, bowing tentatively before it. He had half a mind to reprimand the woodcutter for simply striding past such an important figure, but when Terra emerged from the grotto half carrying his son, all concern for blasphemy left him.

“Shang!” he gasped, surging forward to embrace the younger boy, praising the ancestors and Xuan Wu under his breath.

“I'm alright, father,” Shang said weakly, the breath forced from his lungs by his father's grip.

“Let's go home,” Li smiled, rubbing Shang's back gently.

“Wait,” Terra called, ducking back into the cave and returning with a crude bamboo crutch. “Take this, it'll make the trip easier.”

“Thanks,” Shang smiled, “Almost forgot it.”

“Stranger, please, come down with us,” Li said, smiling at Terra. “You saved my son. The least I can do is repay you with hospitality.

“N-no, I couldn't possibly...” Terra glanced back to the statue out of habit, biting his lip. He'd promised to keep away from the natives...but he'd already met these people. It couldn't hurt any more, could it?

“I insist,” Commander Li replied. Well, that made it easy.

“When you put it that way,” Terra replied, smiling sheepishly.

 

 

 

The dinner had been exquisite, and the wine flowed freely in celebration of Shang's safe return, but all of the praise and glory was getting to be too much for Terra. He managed to find an excuse to duck outside, taking in the cool night air in a small courtyard.

“Terra,” Shang called, following him out into the night air. He leaned against his crutch and smiled up at the older boy, a hint of embarrassment on his face. “I...never thanked you for saving me.”

“Don't worry about it,” Terra smiled, resting a hand on Shang's shoulder. “I'm just glad we got you home.”

“Shang, your mother is looking for you,” Commander Li called from the doorway, watching his son carefully.

“Yes sir,” he nodded, turning on his crutch before looking back at Terra. “Thanks again,” he smiled, bowing as low as he could before hobbling back inside.

“I must thank you, too, stranger,” Li said, striding out into the courtyard. “You saved my son. And yet you have asked for no reward.”

“I need no reward, sir,” Terra replied, bowing to him.

“Terra, was it? That's a strange name,” Li remarked, watching him carefully. “And given the dangers of the mountain, you don't have a scratch on you.”

“...Sir?” Terra began, stomach twisting slightly.

“You are no woodcutter,” Li stated, frowning.

“What makes you say that?” Terra asked, growing wary of the other man as well.

“You have no axe. That thing you told Shang was an axe...you may be able to fool a boy, but not me,” Li said, his gaze harsh. “I am grateful that you saved my son, but who are you, really? Who sent you here?” he asked.

“I...I couldn't say, sir,” Terra replied, his gaze falling.

“Why not? Are you a spy?”

“What? No!” Terra replied, startled by the accusation.

“Were you sent by the Huns?”

“No, no!”

“Then tell me who you are, or I'll run you through!” Li spat, seizing a spear from a weapon rack nearby. Without waiting for an answer, he thrust the spear in Terra's direction, gaze firm. Surprise still ruled Terra's face, but his body followed its years of training, dodging out of the way and blocking the spear thrusts.

“Please, sir, I've said all I can!” Terra cried, grasping the haft of the spear and moving to disarm Li as gently as he could, but the older man would have none of it. He held fast, moving to throw a kick in Terra's direction. Earthshaker was in his hand before he realized, blocking the blow. He quickly swung down, shattering the spear before retreating. He threw down the spearhead and dismissed his Keyblade, holding his hands wide. “No more! I don't want to fight you...it's not right.”

Li stared in disbelief, looking from the broken spear to the young man who called and dismissed that strange sword of his in flashes of light.

“...Shang said he thought you were an emissary of heaven, a divine warrior...” Li began, “...And he said that you denied it. Yet at every turn, you seem to demonstrate that you are...”

“I'm not!” Terra plead, exasperation in his tone.

“Then what are you?” Li asked, also dropping his broken spear haft. “A spirit? A dragon in disguise? What?”

“I'm just a man,” Terra said, his tone softening. “No different from you.”

“Then how are you capable of such great feats? Shang told me of your power,” Li said, frowning. Terra frowned as well, crossing his arms with a bit of a huff.

“I told him not to,” he muttered under his breath. “Sir...please. I can't tell you any more about myself...I'm not even supposed to be here, talking to anyone,” Terra said, doing his best to keep distance from Shang's father. “Look, you can believe whatever you want, but you can't tell anyone about me. I'm sworn to secrecy...and I'm afraid you must be, too.”

Li opened his mouth, then thought better of it, nodding and bowing. “As you wish,” he said, bowing lightly.

“I'm afraid I've already revealed too much...I've found what I came here for, and stayed too long,” Terra explained, worry on his brow again. “I'm sorry for any trouble. Please...say goodbye to Shang for me,” he said softly, moving toward the gates.

 

 

Shang stared out the window of his room, the crisp night air ghosting across his face as he looked up at the mountain, a wistful smile on his lips. That mountain would never be the same... He blinked as he saw Terra slip past the gate, a flash of light surrounding him. Shang sat up straighter, peering into the evening darkness as the light faded, leaving glimmers of elegant red and gold armor. In another flash, he was soaring through the air, straight up into the sky which seemed to open up to claim him, leaving only a glimmer of starlight in his wake.

Shang sat back, eyes wide and his heart thundering. “Truly...you were a divine warrior,” he whispered, glancing into the sky again, searching for a star that had just returned to the northern sky.

 


End file.
